MTV star ‘The Situation’ sentenced to eight months in prison for tax evasion

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, best known for starring on MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” was sentenced Friday to eight months in prison for federal tax evasion.

The sentencing, in federal court in New Jersey, comes after Sorrentino pleaded guilty in January. In addition to the prison sentence, a judge sentenced Sorrentino to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay almost $124,000 in restitution and a $10,000 fine, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. 

The DOJ said that Sorrentino, 37, admitted to taking actions to avoid paying the full amount taxes he owed for 2011. This included making cash deposits of under $10,000, so that the money wouldn’t attract IRS attention. 

The reality star’s brother, Marc Sorrentino, was also sentenced on Friday for violating tax law, receiving a sentence of two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $7,500 fine. He had pleaded guilty in January to a charge helping to prepare a fraudulent tax return.

Marc Sorrentino, 39, admitted to providing his accountants with false information for tax years 2010 to 2012, leading to under-reporting of his income on his personal tax returns, DOJ said.

“Lying to and defrauding the federal government is a very serious crime, regardless of a defendant’s celebrity status,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Zuckerman said in a news release. “The Sorrentino brothers chose to use Michael’s fame to benefit themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer, and with the help of our federal partners, they were held accountable.”